Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today sought to downplay the participation of Priyanka Gandhi in a Congress party meeting recently, saying this was "not new."
"This is not new. She has been doing it...Attending party meetings. She is a part of Congress party, she is a leader of Congress party," Shinde told reporters here.
Shinde said that during 1998-99, he and Priyanka used to tour together in constituencies and also for the campaign of Congress President and her mother Sonia Gandhi.
Priyanka had created a flutter when she attended a meeting of top Congress leaders in the residence of her brother Rahul Gandhi, triggering speculation whether she is in for a major role ahead of Lok Sabha elections.
